BASILAN, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / July 20, 2008) – Police deployed additional forces in the southern Philippine island of Basilan following the spate of kidnappings blamed to Abu Sayyaf militants.
“We have deployed more mobile checkpoints and additional foot patrols in the province to deter crimes,” the island’s police chief Salik Macapantar told the Mindanao Examiner.
Six people, including two village officials, were kidnapped on the largely Muslim island in recent weeks and four of them had been ransomed off while police rescued the remaining hostage.
A Catholic clergy, Bishop Martin Jumoad, blamed the police and military for the breakdown of peace and order in Basilan after receiving a signed letter threatening his group. The letter, also sent to Christian traders on the island, allegedly came from Puruji Indama and Nur Hassan Jamiri, both known leaders of the Abu Sayyaf group.
The letter demanded Christians to either convert to Islam or pay taxes if they do not want to be harmed. Jamiri admitted sending the letter in an interview over a Catholic radio station in Manila at the weekend.
Macapantar said the letter had not been authenticated whether it really came from the Abu Sayyaf because it had no signatures, except for the names of Indama and Hassan, who were both implicated in the June 26 kidnapping of four electric meter readers in Basilan.
The four victims were freed to emissaries of Basilan deputy vice governor Alrashid Sakalahul after two weeks in captivity in exchanged for a huge ransom.
“We are still verifying the authenticity of the letter. Any body can say that they are members of the Abu Sayyaf or mujahideen,” Macapantar said.
Jumoad said he contacted the mobile phone number listed in the letter and a man who identified himself as Nur Hassan claimed they were mujahideen and member of the Al-Harakat al-Islamiya, also known as Abu Sayyaf.
The clergy also wanted Macapantar replaced for his failure to prevent the kidnappings.
But Macapantar has criticized the bishop, saying, Jumoad did not know what he was talking about. “What has he done in Basilan? He is guiding the people in the wrong direction. What does he know about police or military operation? We put our lives at risks every day to keep Basilan safe. We have rescued the two hostages kidnapped by bandits and arrested many criminals in the past.”
“Police and military forces are guarding the Catholic Church and priests, including Jumoad to make it sure that they are safe everyday and then blamed us for everything that is happening in Basilan? We are doing our best and Basilan is generally peaceful unlike in the past,” he said.
Jumoad, who has been a priest the past three decades, had previously spoke on issues about press freedom, local politics, military operations and government peace talks with Muslim rebels.
Last year, Jumoad told the military that a kidnapped Italian priest Giancarlo Bossi was taken to Basilan after Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels seized him in Payao town in Zamboanga. Bossi was freed by 40 days later in Lanao del Norte province in Mindanao island, but dozens of government soldiers were also killed by rebels in clashes in Basilan during their search for the priest. (Mindanao Examiner)
“We have deployed more mobile checkpoints and additional foot patrols in the province to deter crimes,” the island’s police chief Salik Macapantar told the Mindanao Examiner.
Six people, including two village officials, were kidnapped on the largely Muslim island in recent weeks and four of them had been ransomed off while police rescued the remaining hostage.
A Catholic clergy, Bishop Martin Jumoad, blamed the police and military for the breakdown of peace and order in Basilan after receiving a signed letter threatening his group. The letter, also sent to Christian traders on the island, allegedly came from Puruji Indama and Nur Hassan Jamiri, both known leaders of the Abu Sayyaf group.
The letter demanded Christians to either convert to Islam or pay taxes if they do not want to be harmed. Jamiri admitted sending the letter in an interview over a Catholic radio station in Manila at the weekend.
Macapantar said the letter had not been authenticated whether it really came from the Abu Sayyaf because it had no signatures, except for the names of Indama and Hassan, who were both implicated in the June 26 kidnapping of four electric meter readers in Basilan.
The four victims were freed to emissaries of Basilan deputy vice governor Alrashid Sakalahul after two weeks in captivity in exchanged for a huge ransom.
“We are still verifying the authenticity of the letter. Any body can say that they are members of the Abu Sayyaf or mujahideen,” Macapantar said.
Jumoad said he contacted the mobile phone number listed in the letter and a man who identified himself as Nur Hassan claimed they were mujahideen and member of the Al-Harakat al-Islamiya, also known as Abu Sayyaf.
The clergy also wanted Macapantar replaced for his failure to prevent the kidnappings.
But Macapantar has criticized the bishop, saying, Jumoad did not know what he was talking about. “What has he done in Basilan? He is guiding the people in the wrong direction. What does he know about police or military operation? We put our lives at risks every day to keep Basilan safe. We have rescued the two hostages kidnapped by bandits and arrested many criminals in the past.”
“Police and military forces are guarding the Catholic Church and priests, including Jumoad to make it sure that they are safe everyday and then blamed us for everything that is happening in Basilan? We are doing our best and Basilan is generally peaceful unlike in the past,” he said.
Jumoad, who has been a priest the past three decades, had previously spoke on issues about press freedom, local politics, military operations and government peace talks with Muslim rebels.
Last year, Jumoad told the military that a kidnapped Italian priest Giancarlo Bossi was taken to Basilan after Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels seized him in Payao town in Zamboanga. Bossi was freed by 40 days later in Lanao del Norte province in Mindanao island, but dozens of government soldiers were also killed by rebels in clashes in Basilan during their search for the priest. (Mindanao Examiner)
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